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20 years anniversary of female inclusion in weightlifting at the Olympic Games

The 2000 Sydney Olympic Games held great significance, not only in terms of weightlifting history, but also in terms of universal sports history. For the first time female weightlifters were able to compete at an Olympic Games. In the millennium year, the Olympics were held at the second half of September, where in addition to the men categories, women categories were added to the weightlifting program. Previously female weightlifters could only compete at continental and world championships. On the Olympic program weightlifters competed in 8 male and 7 female weight classes. Altogether 162 male athletes from 63 countries and 85 female athletes from 47 countries participated in the weightlifting competitions. The medal ceremony of the first female weightlifter was one of the greatest moments in weightlifting history, where Tara Nott (USA) was awarded the gold medal in the 48 kilograms on September 17, 2000.After the win of Tara Nott, overall Chinese weightlifters dominated the female categories, but Mexico and Colombia also won gold medals. On the last day of the women's competition on the 22nd of September, China won the gold medal in the +75kg category. With this win China recorded a total of four female category wins. The distribution of gold medals was greater for men: six countries won gold medals, with Iran and Greece winning 2-2 gold medals in the male weight classes. In the male categories a total of 13 nations, in the women categories 14 countries won Olympic medals in Sydney. Female weightlifters broke 17 senior world record, while male weightlifters broke 9 senior world records during the Sydney Olympic Games. Medal Table of the Sydney Olympic Games: Men Gold Silver Bronze GRE 2 2 0 IRI 2 0 0 BUL 1 2 0 CHN 1 1 1 CRO 1 0 0 TUR 1 0 0 GER 0 2 0 POL 0 1 0 BLR 0 0 2 RUS 0 0 2 GEO 0 0 1 QAT 0 0 1 ARM 0 0 1 Women Gold Silver Bronze CHN 4 0 0 USA 1 0 1 COL 1 0 0 MEX 1 0 0 INA 0 1 2 TPE 0 1 1 PRK 0 1 0 POL 0 1 0 HUN 0 1 0 NGR 0 1 0 RUS 0 1 0 GRE 0 0 1 IND 0 0 1 THA 0 0

Anniversary – Frank Isaac Spellman

Frank Isaac Spellman, one of the most outstanding athlete in US weightlifting history was born exactly 98 years ago on 17 September 1922 in Malvern, Pennsylvania. As a child, he was fascinated by the sight of muscular and strong people, and was determined to be one of them when he is grown. He managed to reach this goal by starting weightlifting and he achieved his first great success at the age of twenty when he became a US junior champion in middleweight representing the York Barbell Club. As a U.S. Army soldier, he served for three years during World War I and then resumed weightlifting once the war was over. Among the seniors, he made his mark at the 1946 World Championship. He won a bronze medal and set the American record in press in the same year. After he won the US Amateur Athletic Union middleweight category, he was able to compete at the 1947 World Championships, where he won a silver medal.  The following year brought him a truly outstanding success: he won the 1948 London Olympics in the 75 kg category being first in all three disciplines. Next to the Olympic gold medal, he set a new Olympic record in both Clean&Jerk and with 390 kilograms in Total as well. His career did not stop after the 1948 Olympics. While he improved the national record several times, he won the North American middleweight title in 1949, and proved to be the best in the weight class at the Maccabi Games in 1950 in Israel. In 1954, he went even further and he set a world record in squats, a discipline within powerlifting, which is a similar sport to weightlifting. Even in 1971, at the age of 49, Spellman did not stop lifting. As a father of six children he was still able to win in the middleweight category at the US National Championships. He was elected to the United States Weightlifting Hall of Fame and in several other organization’ Hall of Fame as well thanks to his achievements. The charismatic sportsman passed away on January 12, 2017, at the age of

Cali 2021: Young Athletes of the Americas Will Reach for the Sky

CALI, COLOMBIA (September 8, 2020) — Everything is ready and arranged in the “Sports Capital of America” and the “Salsa Capital of the World”, otherwise known as Cali, Colombia, for the realization of the first official event for the Cali-Valle 2021 Junior Pan American Games. Panam Sports announced the official dates of these Games one week ago after confirming the commitment and support of the Colombian Government, with 3,500 young athletes scheduled to compete in 27 sports from September 9 to 19, 2021. Following the tradition of the Americas’ continental Games, a great celebration will take place this Wednesday marking the One-Year Countdown to the Opening Ceremony of what will be the most important multisport event for young athletes throughout the world in the coming years. The top sport and government leaders have already confirmed their presence at the event, including the Governor of Valle del Cauca Clara Luz Roldan Gonzalez, the Director of Cali 2021 Jose Luis Echeverry and the Mayor of Cali Jorge Ivan Ospina who will all participate in the event in person from the Hotel Torre de Cali. Colombian President Ivan Duque, Sports Minister Ernesto Lucena and the President of the Colombian Olympic Committee, Baltazar Medina, will join the event remotely from the capital of Bogota, while Cali 2021 Coordination Commission and Puerto Rican Olympic Committee President Sara Rosario will join virtually from Puerto Rico. Panam Sports President and International Olympic Committee Member Neven Ilic will also join the celebration remotely from Santiago, Chile. While the organizers do not want to give anything away, they assured that surprises are in store for the city of Cali with the ceremony slogan indicating that “the young athletes of the Americas will reach for the sky”. (...) The event will be broadcast live and direct in Colombia by Telepacífico and will be live-streamed for all of the Americas and the world by the Panam Sports Channel beginning at 6:30 pm Eastern Time (5:30 pm in Cali, Colombia) on Wednesday, September 9th. TUNE-IN HOURS BY LOCATION 5:30 Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Ecuador 6:30 Miami, Venezuela, Trinidad & Tobago, Toronto, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico. 7:30 Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bermuda Source:

WHEREABOUTS REMINDER Q4 2020

This is a reminder that every Athlete included in the International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP) shall submit their whereabouts information through the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) throughout the whole year on a quarterly basis. The deadline to submit for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020 is 15 September 2020. Should you encounter any technical difficulties please contact the International Testing Agency immediately

Weightlifting at the Antwerp Olympic Games – Celebrating 100 Years

It was exactly 100 years ago, that the sport of weightlifting was on the program of the Antwerp Olympic Games in 1920. The Antwerp Games was the seventh modern Olympic Games, and the third where weightlifting was included after 1896 in Athens (GRE) and 1904 in St. Louis (USA). 14 countries and 53 athletes competed in the five existing categories during the Games. There was a massive increase in the number of participating countries and athletes compared to Athens where just six men from five countries and the US where only five men from two countries took part in the events. In the five categories there was a Belgian, Italian and Estonian winner, while in the other two categories French lifters won the gold medals. Altogether seven countries won medals at the Games. In the ‘Olympisch Stadion’ which was built specifically for the Games, weightlifting was scheduled right after the athletics events, therefore the lifters competed in an open arena. At this time only male athletes could compete in weightlifting, as the first Olympic Games where female categories were introduced was the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. The youngest athlete, Michel Mertens (LUX) was only 18 years old, while the oldest athlete Albert Pettersson (SWE) who later won the bronze medal in the 75 kg category, was 35 years old. Among the athletes only one represented the world outside Europe, an Egyptian athlete. There were big nations missing even from Europe. Germany and Austria as losers of the war were not able to send athletes to the Antwerp Olympic Games. Let’s remember the medalist who won 100 years ago: 60kg Francois De Haes (BEL) – 220 kg Alfred Schmidt (EST) – 210 kg Eugene Ryther (SUI) – 210 kg 67,5kg Alfred Neuland (EST) – 257,5 kg Louis Williquet (BEL) – 240 kg Florimond Rooms (BEL) – 230 kg 75 kg Henri Gance (FRA) – 245 kg Pietro Bianchi (ITA) – 235 kg Albert Pettersson (SWE) – 235 kg 82,5kg Ernest Cadine (FRA) – 295 kg Friedrich Hünenberger (SUI) – 277,5 kg Erik Pettersson (SWE) – 267,5 kg +82,5kg Filippo Bottino (ITA) – 265 kg Joseph Alzin (LUX) – 260 kg Louis Bernot (FRA) – 255

Creativity, Diversity and Limitless Possibility Celebrated as LA28 Reveals New Emblem

Launching the official journey to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Los Angeles 2028, the Local Organising Committee unveiled its Games emblem with the stories that celebrate sport, art and the city’s unique community. Recognising that no one illustration could express all that Los Angeles and the Games represent, athletes, artists and advocates collaborated as LA28 creators in the development of the LA28 emblem, bringing their personal stories and dreams to life through their individual interpretations of LA. Creators who have shared their LA stories include Olympians Adam Rippon (figure skating), Alex Morgan (football), Chloe Kim (snowboard), Gabby Douglas (gymnastics), Ibtihaj Muhammad (fencing), Simone Manuel (swimming), Allyson Felix and Michael Johnson (both athletics). Joining them are Paralympians Lex Gillette and Scout Bassett (both athletics) and Oz Sanchez (cycling), as well as Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls Jamal Hill (swimming), Chantel Navarro (boxing) and Ezra Frech (athletics). Celebrities Billie Eilish (singer-songwriter), Reese Witherspoon (actress, producer and entrepreneur), Lilly Singh (storyteller), Alex Israel (multimedia artist, writer and designer), Bobby Hundreds (illustrator and designer), Steven Harrington (multimedia artist) and Lauren “Lolo” Spencer (disability lifestyle model and actress) have also contributed, alongside members of the local community – Aidan Kosaka (community leader), Chaz Bojórquez (graffiti artist), Dr Woo (tattoo artist), Jorge “El Joy” Alvarez (chef) and Rachel Sumekh (social justice leader). A strong and bold L, 2 and 8 serve as the foundation for the Olympic and Paralympic emblems, with individual stories expressed through a dynamic and ever-changing “A”. They are inspired by the infinite possibilities Los Angeles represents, honouring creativity, diversity, self-expression and inclusion. “There has never been a more important time to give rise to athlete voices,” said LA28 Chairperson Casey Wasserman. “Sports are a special part of our global culture, connecting people and fans across communities and around the world. The LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a platform for individual stories of triumph, heartbreak and opportunity as we recognise and revere humanity’s diversity and dreams for the future.” Speaking about the new emblem, LA28 Coordination Commission Chair Nicole Hoevertsz said: "The emblem perfectly represents the city's energy, creativity and strong sense of community, whilst also celebrating the Olympic belief of unity in diversity. LA28 continues to create innovative ways to engage Angelenos and people from across the world in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The idea behind the emblem, and the expressions we have seen so far, truly demonstrate that we are stronger together." Adding to these points, LA28 Chief Athlete Officer and five-time Olympic medallist Janet Evans said: “Los Angeles defies a singular identity, and there’s not one way to represent LA. LA is what it is because of the people, and the LA28 Games should represent that. The best way to capture the energy of Los Angeles and the Games is through a collection of voices and cultures. Los Angeles is an infinite canvas to pursue your wildest dreams and, in 2028, thousands of Paralympians and Olympians will come to LA to chase their dreams on the global stage.” LA28 will mark Los Angeles’ third Olympic Games – previously held in 1932 and 1984 – and first Paralympic Games, which, up until 1988, were hosted at a different site than the Olympics. The LA28 Games will bring Los Angeles together to create an incredible experience for athletes, fans and everyone in the community, using Southern California’s existing world-class stadiums and venues. Ahead of the Games, thanks to support from the IOC, LA28 is investing USD 160 million in youth sport across Los Angeles, making sport more accessible for kids, particularly in under-resourced communities. The LA28 emblem will be shared through a collection of stories across social media (@LA28) and on the new LA28.org website, which was launched today. Source: